1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related with an information recording apparatus and an information reproducing apparatus. Especially, it is related with an information recording apparatus for recording on a record medium, such as an optical disk and the like, audio information and video information in order to carry out an interactive reproduction operation, and an information reproducing apparatus for reproducing the audio information and the video information suitable for the interactive reproduction operation from the record medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
The audio information and the video information are generally recorded on a record medium, such as an optical disk, a video tape and the like.
The information recorded on the above mentioned record medium has been recorded by using an analog signal. Recently, because of little deterioration of a signal (sound quality and image quality), an easy operation in a computer and the like, a method of recording by using a digital signal is used generally.
The optical disk as the record medium on which this digital signal is recorded is used as the record medium for various information irrespective of video and audio information, since it is capable of a random access.
And, since the optical disk has a large record capacity, and can record much addition information (for controlling the reproduction of main information such as video information and audio information) in addition to the main information, it is used in a special reproduction by using the addition information, in many cases.
Incidentally, in some special reproduction, the reproduction of a predetermined record area is intentionally prohibited in a case of carrying out a usual consecutive reproduction or retrieval.
As an example of such a special reproduction in which the reproduction is intentionally prohibited, there is an interactive reproduction for carrying out a two-way information exchange between a user and a medium.
For example, in a case of an educational interactive reproduction, only a portion of [Question] is reproduced regardless of the reproduction condition, and unless the user carries out a particular operation to answer the [Question], it is prohibited to carry out the information reproduction in the portion of [Answer].
Functions required in this interactive reproduction are listed below, for example.
(1) It is possible to branch into an outline (i.e. reproduction order) specified by a user interface, such as a key input and the like, in line with a plurality of outlines (i.e. reproduction orders) designed by a medium author (who records the information onto the record medium). PA0 (2) It is possible to automatically set reproduction state to a still image reproduction state at a certain video frame. PA0 (3) It is possible to automatically carry out a repeat reproduction for a certain video interval. PA0 (4) The medium author can freely specify a still image reproduction time or a repeat reproduction time. PA0 (5) In a case that a plurality of outlines can be selected freely, a branch destination can be determined freely on a side of the reproducing apparatus. PA0 (6) In a case that a plurality of outlines can be selected on the basis of a predetermined rule, the branch destination can be set automatically on the side of the reproducing apparatus.
As a method of implementing the functions required in the above explained interactive reproduction, there is a method of describing a reproduction procedure in a script form close to a computer language.
If trying to record the reproduction procedure on the optical disk in this script form, a memory capacity becomes large for storing the reproduction procedure on the side of the reproducing apparatus. Especially, in a case that a record capacity of the main information itself is large, such as a case that an actually photographed animation image and a high quality sound are recorded as the main information, the capacity to store the reproduction procedure becomes certainly large. Thus, in a case that a memory capacity of a memory for the sum is limited in the reproducing apparatus, there is a problem that it is impossible to record an excessively complex reproduction procedure.
Further, in a case of contrarily using a complex reproduction procedure to reproduce, it is necessary to make the memory capacity on the side of the reproducing apparatus larger, and this results in a problem of cost increase.